This invention relates to sewing machines and, more particularly, to a stitch pattern selection and display arrangement for use in a sewing machine having switch pattern data stored in an addressable memory.
In recent years, so called "electronic" home sewing machines have gained in popularity and have met with commercial success. These electronic sewing machines typically include a static memory unit for storing in digital form information to control both the needle positioning mechanism and the work feeding mechanism to automatically produce a desired pattern. Signals generated from the stored information are applied to signal responsive actuators for selectively positioning the needle and the work feeding mechanism. A sewing machine of this type is fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,808, assigned to the assignee herein, and the disclosure of this patent is hereby incorporated by reference.
In a sewing machine of the type disclosed in the above-referenced patent, approximately two dozen patterns are available for operator selection. If a separate push button were to be provided for the selection of each pattern with the proper spacing between buttons so that an operator could only push a single button, at least all of the available space on the front and top surfaces of the sewing machine would have to be utilized. Arrangements for conserving such surface space and providing for selection of the great multiplicity of patterns have been successfully engineered. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,506 discloses a pattern selection system for sewing machines wherein in addition to a limited number of primary pattern selection elements, secondary selector means are provided by which the operator may render any one of a number of different sets or groups of stitch patterns subject to selection by the primary selection elements. This selection arrangement requires the operator to visually scan all of the available patterns and to operate two spaced apart actuators in order to select the desired pattern.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a stitch pattern selection and display arrangement for a sewing machine which utilizes a minimum of space on the sewing machine surface.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such an arrangement wherein stitch pattern selection and display is accomplished with a minimum of operator influenced actuator elements.